Friends of Meyer say he's extremely political (The Gainesville Sun)

[Apollo11]

I think that people should be given the opportunity to review their opinions of Andrew Meyer, the University of Florida student who was tasered on Monday.

My feeling is that some of us here on DU may have "rushed to judgement", and might benefit from having the chance to reconsider their thoughts on this incident.

The Gainesville Sun, September 19, 2007

Taser Aftershock

By JACK STRIPLING

Following the Tasering of a University of Florida student at a political event Monday, the university has been thrust into a growing national debate about the limits of free speech, the appropriate role of law enforcement and the politically charged environment of modern times.

The incident that has sparked such controversy took place Monday afternoon, when 21-year-old Andrew Meyer was arrested and shot with a Taser gun during a town hall forum attended by U.S. Sen. John Kerry.

Meyer had approached an open microphone to question Kerry, but his microphone was cut off when he used some salty language that drew organizers' objections. Shortly thereafter, UF Police Department officers tried to physically remove him from the University Auditorium, but resorted to the use of a Taser gun when he did not "comply," according to officers.

(...)

Speaking on behalf of protesting students, Benjamin Dictor told reporters that the UF incident was one of a series of recent incidents that indicate an erosion of civil liberties in the United States. Dictor described the silencing and subsequent Tasering of Meyer as an assault on free speech, adding that "our Constitution has been trampled."

"What happened in that auditorium was not only a physical assault but an assault on reason itself," said Dictor, a 20-year-old political science major.

(...)

Friends of Meyer say he's extremely political, noting that he has been passionate about the 2004 election, which he thought Kerry rightfully won.

"He's not crazy or anything," said Robert Campbell, a UF student and a friend of Meyer's. "The only thing he is is a little bit extreme with his views."

While some are critical of Meyer's ranting at the Kerry forum, others are embracing him as symbol of free speech. Huddled among a crowd of protesters, one wielding a sign that asked "who will guard the guards," Austin Flickstein rallied against what he described as the silencing of a young man who had a right to be heard.

"Yes, his questioning went a little bit beyond what some of the administration's ears are used to, but only because he was expressing some thoughts that haven't been heard for a very, very long time," said Flickstein, a 21-year-old UF student. "And then it was force that they used to suppress the free speech. The issue here is our suppressing of free speech. Yes, Tasering is unnecessary. But what is most creepy and scary about this is why did six cops need to tackle a man down and Taser him when he was already on the ground because he was asking questions?"

Read the full article here:
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070919/NEWS/709190330/0/sports

And here's a more recent article by the same reporter:
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070920/NEWS/709200326/1007/NEWS

[cosmik debris]

1. I've reviewed my position and concluded

1. He behaved like a 4 yr. old child who needed to take a nap.

2. Protest by tantrum is not a successful method of protest.

3. Self-promotion is NOT political protest.

[Apollo11]

3. Maybe you need to think again?

Try telling Cindy Sheehan or Vietnam-era John Kerry that self-promotion is NOT political protest.


ACLU: Incident should have been avoided

By Diane Chun, The Gainesville Sun

The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida has released a statement condemning the use of a Taser gun in the arrest of University of Florida student Andrew Meyer on campus Monday.

Executive Director Howard Simon said aside from the possible use of excessive force, the response of the University Police Department "squandered the free speech rights of both Kerry and Meyer."

Simon said people have a reasonable expectation to ask questions in a public setting, and Sen. John Kerry had a reasonable expectation to be able to answer those questions.

"That is free speech, plain and simple," he said.

http://www.gainesville.com/article/20070918/NEWS/70918022

[cosmik debris]

4. Nope, I stand by what I said

He is a brat who threw a tantrum to get attention. That's all.

[Apollo11]

7. I can see what he did wrong

He wrongly assumed that after asking his questions, he would be allowed to remain in the room and listen to the answers.

That was a very wrong assumption to make in this case (apparently) :eyes:

[cosmik debris]

8. Why do you make up this bullshit?

He broke in line, he fought with police, he threw a tantrum.

Yet you completely overlook his atrocious behavior.

That's no way to raise children, and this guy is definitely behaving like a child.

[Apollo11]

9. Let me deal with your accusations

"He broke in line"

Maybe he did, but from all the reports I have read, John Kerry had made it very clear that Andrew Meyer should be allowed to ask his question, even if the time remaining for the Q&A session was running out.

It's unfortunate if there was not time for Senator Kerry to address ALL the questions of ALL the students. But he specifically agreed to listen to Meyer's question and had already promised that he would answer it.

"He fought with police"

I agree that he resisted arrest, at the same time as he repeatedly asked the officers why they were arresting him. He did not punch any cops in the face or kick them or anything like that. I can see he wasn't exactly cooperating with their efforts to cuff him. But then again - up until that point he had committed no crime (unless using the word "blowjob" on a University campus is a crime). So I can imagine myself in his position. I would also think "Why are these cops grabbing me? Why are they physically ejecting me from the room? Why are they trying to handcuff me? Why will they not allow me to listen to John Kerry's answers? Why is nobody trying to stop the cops taking me away?"

"He threw a tantrum"

That's your interpretation of his behavior. My take is that he was appealing for help, and calling on the organizers of the event to intervene, ask the police to let him remain in the room and listen to what John Kerry had to say in response to his perfectly valid and relevant questions.

[cosmik debris]

14. Thank you for finally agreeing with me

But I'm sorry you are not experienced enough to recognize tantrum behavior when you see it. It is usually characterized by screaming, flailing of arms and legs, and resistance to restraint. That is exactly what I observed. If you look, you will see it too.

As for your opinion that he had committed no crime, that's not your call. That decision rests with the officer in charge at the scene.

Such officers have a saying to deal with that type of dispute: "Tell it to the Judge"

In other words, the place to decide that is in court, not on the floor with 6 cops sitting on you. You know, it is called civil behavior. But Mr. Meyers was not behaving civilly. He was acting like a spoiled brat who expected to get his way at the expense of all others.

[Apollo11]

19. And it's only me, John Kerry and the ACLU saying there was no need for the cops to get involved

What can I say?

It's so easy to be wrong sometimes :eyes:

[cosmik debris]

21. Tell it to the Judge

In a civil society that is the place to make such decisions. Mr. Meyers refused to behave civilly.

Regardless of what the ACLU says, Mr. Meyers refused to behave civilly. People who refuse to behave civilly should expect consequences that they do not control. Mr. Meyers refused to behave civilly.

[Apollo11]

22. I agree you should behave civilly when you're taking tea with the Queen of England

Except that if Americans were respectful to Royalty, the United States would never have been born! :eyes:

[cosmik debris]

23. Tell it to the Judge. n/t

[Kahuna]

31. I hope you get to suffer some consequences one day when some one

arbitrally decides that YOU are not behaving civilly, according to their definition.

[Kahuna]

30. Thankl you! They had no business putting their hands on him in the

first place. They acted like a gestapo.

[Virginia Dare]

10. No, he wrongly assumed that he could use a moderated forum..

to pull some sort of political stunt, which he was having filmed for his own purposes.

I'm not apologizing for what the police did to him, but I think that if, when they first tried to remove him from the room, he had just gone peacefully, quietly and willingly, he probably wouldn't have gotten hurt and/or arrested. I think Kerry probably would have answered the questions too.

[Apollo11]

12. I see one problem with your "solution"

You're saying that Andrew Meyer should have let the cops remove him from the room BEFORE John Kerry had answered the questions.

I guess maybe John Kerry could have answered the questions via e-mail.

I don't know if Meyer had access to his e-mails while he was in jail.

[Virginia Dare]

15. Well, since his friend was taping it for him..

he could have watched it later..:eyes:

[Apollo11]

18. I don't think it was even a friend of his

Just some other student he had asked to hold his camera while he was speaking into the mike.

But it would have been difficult for any camera operator to tape Meyer being arrested by the cops (outside the room) while simultaneously taping John Kerry's attempts at answering the questions (inside the room).

[Kahuna]

29. So he deserved what he got???? Unbelievable that people

in America think like this in the year 2007.

[Virginia Dare]

2. Okay, so he's a liberal jackass...

and despite the claims this is NOT a free speech issue. He was attending a moderated forum on "foreign policy and current events", which was sponsored by a campus organization, and required a ticket for admission.

He does possibly have an excessive force case against the police, that's about it.

[napi21]

5. I too think the young man should have been allowedto finish his questions,

and the Senator should have answered them. As I listened to the recording, it sounded like Kerry was going to do so. Having said that, what exactly was the "salty language" that upset the organizers? There was so much noise on the recording, I couldn't tell all of what Meyer said. If he was just asking difficult and probing questions tht's one thing; it's a bit different if he was using what is usually called "salty language" (f***, mf**, etc). I can understand why a mike would be cut off with language like that, especially on a college campus.

[Apollo11]

6. Meyer mentioned the fact

that Congress had launched impeachment proceedings against President Clinton "For what? A blowjob?"

He then asked "So why can't you impeach Bush?" Or something like that.

Considering that there were no children present, I don't think it was a shocking use of language.

Especially considering that "blow" and "job" are perfectly acceptable words to use in any context.

[Virginia Dare]

11. Perhaps the sponsors and/or moderators of the forum didn't deem..

it an appropriate question. Much like the moderators at DU make those decisions about certain posts.

[Apollo11]

13. I see a couple of important differences

One difference is that the moderators here on DU don't have half a dozen cops grab you, try to cuff you, pin you to the ground, sit on you and adminster electric shocks.

The other difference is that asking a Democratic Senator about why President Bush is not being impeached is an absolutely appropriate question in a free country.

(Assuming that this is supposed to be a free country) :eyes:

[Virginia Dare]

16. I was referring to your claim..

that you didn't see a problem with him bringing up the word "blowjob", not impeachment.

You still think that he was handcuffed and tasered for asking questions, and he wasn't, so I guess there's no point in trying to discuss this rationally with you.


Yeah, it's supposed to be a free country, that's what this whole thing is about, freedom..:eyes:

[Apollo11]

17. Using the word "blowjob" is an arrestable offense

That seems to be the point you are making.

Well - thanks for the heads up! :eyes:

[Virginia Dare]

20. Yes, that's my point exactly..

how astute of you...:eyes:

[lojasmo]

24. Guy I know who was a frat brother says he's an obnoxious shit. EOM

[Apollo11]

25. Each person's opinion is equally valid

Maybe the guy isn't the most popular kid in school?

Maybe he was voted "most likely to get tasered" in his High School yearbook?

But there is no need for the police to break-up a political discussion on a university campus.

That's my conviction. John Kerry and the Florida ACLU agree with me.

"The Florida Department of Law Enforcement will conduct an independent review of the incident and UPD and UF administrators will conduct their own analysis, Machen said. In the meantime, two officers involved in the Tasering of Meyer have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the conclusion of the FDLE investigation."
http://www.gainesvillesun.com/article/20070919/NEWS/709190330

[Apollo11]

26. 325 views without a single recommend

I think that must be some kind of a record here on DU!

Is anyone keeping track of this kind of stats? :eyes:

[Apollo11]

27. Good Morning America!

:kick:

[Apollo11]

28. Andrew Meyer is a smart guy who gets it 100%

How do I know this?

I took 2 minutes to visit his website and read his thoughts on the War in Iraq, the mainstream media's coverage of the War, and public opinion in the USA.

I strongly recommend people to go check it out:
http://www.theandrewmeyer.com/columns/iraq_the_media_and_shannons_dad.asp